REJOICE!

When we become committed to following Christ we desire to follow the Word, which is our guide into all truth.  The “Will” of God for our lives can, and will, become our highest priority.  God’s plan for us is “Good”.  In fact it’s the only eternal plan of hope, love and peace that works for us.  God created us and obviously knows what’s best.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Webster’s Dictionary - Rejoice

rejoice |riˈjois|

verb [ intrans. ]

feel or show great joy or delight

As I read this scripture there are many things that stand out.  First of all we are to “Rejoice” always.  Always is “Always”.  To be able to rejoice always, we must have a true reason.  As Christians we do!  We have obtained eternal life through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and “nothing” should be able to nullify this JOY! 

Keep Your Joy!

How we handle the changes and challenges of everyday life determines our true heartfelt perspective of our salvation.  If we desire to have the joy and peace of the Lord, we must choose to walk in the spirit of God, which brings us life!

Philippians 2:14-16 Do everything without grumbling or arguing,¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life.

The word of God is the word of “Life”.  This is a position of joy and peace.  If our mind is focused on the word of God we will experience the goodness of life in the midst of a crooked and corrupt generation.

Question:  Do you do “Everything” without grumbling or arguing?

Love of Christ

The biggest change I have witnessed in Christians is how the “Word” transforms their nature from “Self” to “Others” minded.  This comes from the humility of Christ and the understanding that we need a savior.  This “need” is an admission that we are more than likely wrong in our fleshly thinking. 

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Our flesh tells us “what’s in it for me?”  While the spirit of God tells us “How can I sacrifice for someone else?”

This is the basis of Christianity.  Jesus became the sacrifice for our fleshly sin.  This sacrifice made the way for eternal life.  This “Life” is present through Christ as savior and also provides us an example of how to live. 

Matthew 5:38-40 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

Question:  If someone slaps you on the cheek, what do you do?

Boldness in Jesus!

Reading the book of Acts this morning I was drawn to the prayer of boldness from the Disciples. 

Acts 4:29-31 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

We live in a world that attacks the word of God and tries to eliminate Christianity.  This denial of Jesus as Lord was obviously taking place following His resurrection.  Today we are facing the attacks from the world in a similar manner.  We need to pray for boldness and be willing to speak it and reveal it to the world around us.

All My Needs

We all have wants and needs and there is a difference between the two.  God is good all the time and He will meet our “need” based on His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 

First, we must analyze the difference between our wants and needs.  Each day we should ask the question; “what do I need?”  I believe our flesh keeps us tied into what we want. Most of the time, what we want does not work out for us and then we blame God. 

God tells us, He will supply our need.  We must read scripture in its entirety to grasp the fullness that God intended.  This “Need” is according to His riches in Glory.  Our desire is not a part of this equation. 

The Fleshly Thorn

As we go through life we face many trials and difficulties.  I have learned that most people have one major “Thorn” that they deal with repeatedly.  This thorn is in our flesh and will often remind us that we need a savior.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Question:  What’s Your Thorn?

Light Your Lamp

When we know Jesus as our savior and seek him, the dark areas of our lives begin to be revealed so we can transform to the Truth of who we are in the Lord.

As we are made aware of the things that need to change in our lives we can start the process of transformation that we all desire.

2 Corinthians 3:18 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

When the “Veil” is taken away the light of God is allowed to shine.  This brings forth our transformation.  The areas of darkness become exposed to the light, which is the Word of God. 

What’s In Your Heart?

The old saying “you are what you eat” is true from a spiritual sense the same way as from a physical perspective.

Luke 6:43-45 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

If we desire to improve who we are we need to fill ourselves with spiritual food that makes us full of Godly truth. 

Revelation:  If we look at our day as if we are setting at the dinner table and we are being offered “spiritual” food that is either good or evil.  What are the options we have to choose from?

Leave It Behind

Mark 10:17-23 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’^[d]”

²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him.“One thing you lack,”he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,“How hard it is for the richto enter the kingdom of God!”

The rich that Jesus is talking about in this parable is worldly wealth.  God revealed to me that we all have things that are worldly that we are unwilling to give up. 

Jesus is challenging the things in our lives that we cherish that are not of God.  It’s not only physical things, but also fleshly desires and pride that deceive us as “things good for us”.  These are things of the heart that put up a border between us, and the completeness of God.

United In Jesus!

There are different types of ministry, as God uses His servants in unique ways.  The call of God for me personally is that we have unity in the Body of Christ.  This unity comes from loving God, loving one another, and helping other people in ministry even if they are not in our particular group, church or denomination.

John 9:38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.”

³⁹ “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ Anyone who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.

Jesus Is Willing

Mark 1:40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ⁴² As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

We are all in need of being healed of something.  It may be physically, mentally or emotionally, but we all have scars of different types. 

The revelation I gained from this scripture came from verse 40 where the leper asked the question “If you are willing”.  This is a question of faith.  The leper believed that Jesus could heal him.  More importantly he needed to know if Jesus was willing!

Question:  Do you believe that Jesus is willing?

Self -Judgment

When we have accepted Jesus as savior we are forgiven of our sin and this places us in right standing with God.  Our salvation is based on the fact that we need a savior because we are guilty of unrighteousness.  When this happens we become self aware of our sin and are able to judge ourselves to walk out our salvation by striving to eliminate our failures.

1 Corinthians 11:31-32 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.³² But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

It is our fleshly nature to judge people and hide in our own sin.  This causes us to look at others faults and point the finger so we don’t have to “Face” our own unrighteousness.  When we love one another and begin to take on the spirit of God we walk in our own judgment first, which causes our faults to be open to the Lord.  He is quick to forgive our sins when we are aware of them and bring them to His throne.  When we recognize this great love and relationship with God we become forgiving of others and therefore can embrace the love of God for people.

The Confession Of Jesus Christ

There is power in the name of Jesus and those who are of God have overcome the enemy.  By our confession of Jesus Christ as Savior, we become in right standing with God and inherit the kingdom of God now and forever.

1 John 4:2-3 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,³ and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Question:  Are you of God by your confession?

⁴ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. ⁵ They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. ⁶ We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Resist The Devil

We live in a world that is constantly throwing temptation into our path.  This temptation is designed to draw us away from God.  The Word of God tells us how to turn back the plan of the enemy that is trying to control our lives.

James 4:6-8 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

To get the devil to flee from us we need to resist him.

Webster’s Dictionary

resist|riˈzist|

verb [ trans. ]

withstand the action or effect of :

• succeed in ignoring the attraction of (something wrong or unwise)

Question:  Will you resist the attraction of something wrong or unwise today?

Jesus Prepares Our Way!

We have recently been talking about our direction and where we are going in life.  We will be guided by the Shepherd’s voice or the voice of the world.  The shepherd makes the way for His sheep.  The sheep trust that He will lead them to their destiny.

John 10:3-5 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

The revelation I obtained from this scripture is in verse 4.  “He goes before them; and the sheep follow him”.  We have a good shepherd that goes before us and makes the way for our future.  When we follow another master we are off course and headed for destruction.